Find out how popular the last name Yerkovich is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Yerkovich.

Yerkovich, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Yerkovich surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yerkovich in America

Yerkovich is the 125282nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yerkovich surname appeared 137 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Yerkovich.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yerkovich to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Yerkovich

The surname Yerkovich finds its origins in the Slavic regions, particularly from the areas that are now modern-day Croatia and Serbia. The name has its roots in the Serbian and Croatian naming conventions, often reflecting geographical and familial connections. The suffix "ovich" or "ović" is a common Slavic patronymic meaning "son of," which suggests that Yerkovich originally meant "son of Yerk" or "son of Jerk," where "Yerk" or "Jerk" is a given name. This correlates with other Slavic surnames that denote lineage or descent.

The surname can be traced back to medieval times, though exact historical records are sparse due to the tumultuous history and shifting borders in the Balkans. The name appears in various documents and records from the 16th and 17th centuries, often associated with nobility or landowners in the regions of Dalmatia and Herzegovina. One notable early mention is found in the archives of Dubrovnik from 1570, where a Maksim Yerkovich is listed as a landowner.

Historical documents during the Ottoman Empire's rule in the Balkans also reference the surname. An example is a tax record from 1635, listing a Nikola Yerkovich in the region of Niš. This indicates the family's presence and social standing during this period of Ottoman dominion.

With the Austro-Hungarian Empire's influence in the 18th and 19th centuries, many families bearing the Yerkovich name migrated within the empire's boundaries, finding new settlements in areas such as modern-day Hungary and Austria. Records from this era include a military officer named Ivan Yerkovich who served in the Habsburg Army around 1781.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Yerkovich. Among them is Jovo Yerkovich (1813-1887), a prominent figure in the Serbian Revolution against Ottoman rule. His contribution to the fight for independence is well-documented in Serbian historical records. Another key figure is Dragan Yerkovich, born in 1904 and a celebrated Croatian writer and poet, whose works in the mid-20th century gained significant acclaim.

In more recent history, one of the more contemporary bearers of the surname includes Marta Yerkovich, an influential scientist born in 1955, known for her research in molecular biology. Her contributions to the field have been recognized internationally, reflecting the continued prominence of the Yerkovich name in various professional domains.

These references and records establish that the Yerkovich surname is deeply embedded in the historical and cultural fabric of the Balkan regions. The legacy of individuals carrying this surname across centuries highlights their varied roles in shaping aspects of both local and broader histories.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yerkovich

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Yerkovich.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Yerkovich was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Yerkovich has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Yerkovich was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Yerkovich, please contact us.

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